Apparatus or device to control safe night landing of aeroplanes.



C. H. BROCKELBANK.

APPARATUS 0R DEVICE T0 CONTROL SAFE NIGHT LANDING 0F AEROPLANES.APPLICATION FILED FEB-12.1917.

, 1 39 155 PatentedSept. 4,1917

Jay 1 lmveni am' UNITED PATENT CLARENCE HARTREE BBOCKELBANK, 0FSHOREHAM-BY-SEA, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS OB DEVICE T0 CONTROL SAFE NIGHT LANDING OF AEROPLANES.

Patented Sept. 41, ILJJIJE.

Application filed February 12, 1917. SerialNo. 148,295.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE HARTREE BROCKELBANK, a subject of HisMajesty the King of England, and resident of Shorehamby-Sea, in thecounty of Sussex, Kingdom of England, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Apparatus or Devices to Control Safe NightLanding of Aeroplanes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus or devices for indicating toaviators, when descending for the purpose of landing at night, theirrespective altitudes above the landing ground at given points of theirdescent when nearing that ground.

The invention consists of an apparatus or device comprising a fixed ormovable vertical mast or other convenient or suitable erectionsupportingany desired number of superimposed tiers of horizontal orsubstantially horizontal frames and screens at respectivelypredetermined known standard heights, each frame carrying a set oflights of any convenient number which may be arranged in the form of atriangle or other suitable form or combination, which may, in respect toone another, he alike or different in one or more or allof the frames,and re spectively of different colors, or so that there may be differentcolors, difierent combinations in form, or the combination ofdifferences in both color and form, or any one or more of them. Attachedto the said frames are screens extending a convenient distancehorizontally upon or beyond the said frame and in such manner that thesaid lights, projecting slightly below or above the horizontal surfaceof the said screens. can only be seen respectively at or below or at orabove an imaginary indefinite horizontal projection or extension of thesaid surfaces in the direction of the point or points from which thelights are intended to be visible. The frames may be movable around thesaid mast or the like, so that a combination of any of the lightscomposing a set may point in any desired direction, as well as upwardand downward, and their plane may be adjustable parallel to the incline.if any, of the landing-ground, and the whole or any part of theapparatus may be in parts or sections suitable for transport. 1

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood it ishereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich Figure l is a detail plan view illustrating the arrangement ofthelights; and

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a mast supporting three planes.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view illustrating on an enlarged scale one ofthe lights secured thereto.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating in section one ofthe lamps which are surrounded by funnels.

By Way of example an apparatus according to the invention may consist asshown in Fig. 2 of a mast a supporting three tiers of frames 6, 0 and ofparallel to the level of the landing-ground g or to any slope or inclinethereof 9 at respectively 30, 20 and 10 feet above the ground, eachframe having affixed four lights so arranged as to form an equi lateraltriangle, as shown in Fig. 1, where of three lights e equidistant onefrom another represent the base, t'. 0., one at each end of the baseline and the other in the center, hereinafter called base-lights and one6 represents the apex, hereinafter called the pilot-light. may consistof white lights in surface line with the upper surface of the horizontalscreen or screens 7, attached to that frame, in' such manner that theyare visible from any point of an are from vertically above the apparatusto any point on the line of an imaginary horizontal projection orextension of the said surface, but not below. The second or 20 ft. tier,and the third or 10 ft. tier, may consist respectively of green and ofred lights in surface line with the lower surface of the horizontalscreen or screens respectively attached to those frames, and in suchmanner as to be visible only at any point on a like horizontalprojection or extension of the said surface or below it, but not aboveit. The upper tier may display other lights 71!, visible only verticallyand within a given area, being set in funnels Z above the apparatus, forthe purpose of indicating the nature of the ground, distance availablefor landing or similar or other information; and the frames may be setor trimmed in such direction around the mast as to indicate by animaginary line drawn through the center base and pilot lights The upperor 30 ft. tier the direction of the ground wind, the pilot light beingtoward the direction to which the wind is blowing.

The lamps used are preferably of that type in which the glass bulb is ofsubstantially turnip shape and in which the filament is supported in aplane at right angles to the axis of the lamp. The funnels Z of thelights I: throw the light upward so as not to be confused with thelights from the lamps e and e. The screens 7 prevent the upper lights eand 6 being visible below their respective level or horizontalprojection and the intermediate and lower screens prevent theircorresponding lamps being visible above their respective levels. screensthereby prevent the separate sets of lamps on the three separate framesbeing confused with one another.

In operation the apparatus is designed to be used in the followingmanner, viz :An aviator desiring to land at night with the aid of theapparatus or control having first ascertained the nature of thelandingground as described, would proceed to descend till the 30 ft.level be reached, during which descent the pilot light 6, would appearto rise upward toward the base lights E, and merge into horizontal linewith them at the moment of his reaching the 30 ft. level 'at which pointhe would prepare to flatten out or level his machine. Loss of view ofthese lights (white) would indicate that he is below the 30 ft. level,

and no lights are then visible to him until, J

a moment later, the green lights become visible, indicating that he hasreached the 20 ft. level. At this point he all but flattens out andprepares to do so completely at sight of the lights on the lowest tier(red) at which point his landing wheels are, ac-

cording to the machine in use, 2 to 4 ft.

The sets oftions above the ground, a plurality of lights secured to saidframes, the lights of one frame having a color different from the lightsof the other frames, and a plurality of screens on each framecooperating with the respective lights.

2. Landing apparatus for aeroplanes and the like, comprising a mast, aplurality of triangular frames adjustably securedto the mast andarranged parallel with the ground and at different elevations from theground, alight supported on each frame, and a screen cooperating witheach light to shield the latter from the view of an aviator at certainelevations from the ground.

3. Landing apparatus for aeroplanes and v the like, comprising amast, aplurality of frames secured to the mast, a plurality of screens securedto each frame, the frames being arranged at different elevations abovethe ground, a plurality of lights secured to each frame, the lights ofthe uppermost frame being visible by the aviator only from above suchframe and the lights of the low-' ermost frames being visible by theaviator only from below said frames.

l. Landing apparatus for aeroplanes and the like, comprising a mast, aplurality of spaced triangular shaped frames secured to the mast andarranged parallel to the ground at difierent elevations above theground, a plurality of triangular shaped screens secured to each frame,a plurality of lights mounted on each frame in cooperative relation withthe respective screens, the lights of one frame being visible by theaviator only from above such frame and the lights of the other framesbeing visible by the aviator only from below said frames.

5. Landing apparatus for aeroplanesand the like, comprising a mast, aplurality of frames adjustably secured to the mast and arranged parallelwith the ground and at different elevations from the ground, a lightsupported on each frame, and a screen eooperating with each light toshield the latter from the view of an aviator at certain elevations fromthe ground.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

CLARENCE HARTREE BROOKELBANK.

